The beneficial effects of olive leaves are known from ancient times. In this regard, both the olive leaves and the different preparations obtained from them (e.g. infusions, extracts) have been ...traditionally used for the treatment of various diseases or to alleviate the symptoms associated with different pathologies. In addition, the use of olive leaves extracts as nutraceuticals along today's continuous usage in cosmetics and medicine is common.
Most of the health-related benefits of olive leaves have been associated to their high content in antioxidant bioactive compounds such as polyphenols, carotenoids, etc., being oleuropein and hydroxytyrosol some of the phenolic compounds which have attracted more interest by the both the scientific community and industry (food, pharmaceutical, among others). In this regard, olive leaves can be used to prevent oxidation processes as well as for other several applications in food industry such as to enhance the nutritive value of foods by delivering important nutrients to consumer's diets. At this stage of development, the implications of the extracts obtained from olive leaves and/or the isolated compounds on gut microbiota is scarce and limited.
In the present review, the main extraction techniques (conventional and innovative), the bioaccessibility and bioavailability of the compounds found in olives as well as their impact on gut microbiota will be discussed.
•Olive leaves (OL) used in the human diet as an extract, a herbal tea and a powder.•OL rich source of antioxidant bioactive compounds (eg. oleuropein, hydroxytyrosol).•There is a need to optimize extraction processes according to targeted compound.•Different biological activity according to the targeted polyphenols.•OL important role preventing oxidative stress and risk of developing chronic diseases.
Abstract
Monitoring compliance with environmental laws is essential to overcoming possible implementation shortfalls jeopardizing their effectiveness. Besides improving our ecological understanding ...of wildlife, remote tracking technologies also allow us to take advantage of such ecological knowledge to use wildlife as sentinels of compliance with law.
We illustrate this sentinel potential of wildlife using GPS tracking of large scavengers with complementary functional traits (i.e. 21 griffon vultures and 13 wolves) to assess compliance with EU sanitary regulations allowing livestock carcass disposal in the field.
Wildlife sentinels allowed the systematic evaluation of 489 livestock carcasses left in the field, which revealed an important mismatch between on‐paper and in‐reality implementation of these regulations. While <45% of the carcasses were placed in authorized areas, compliance with all the criteria required by the regulations on livestock carcass disposal (e.g. from carcass characteristics such as species, age or production system to its location far away from water, buildings or roads) ranged from 0% to 4.2%, with no major differences between regions with uneven implementation.
Major gaps in compliance pointed towards insufficient and over‐bureaucratized designation of scavenger feeding zones, where livestock carcass disposal is authorized. The indiscriminate nature of distance criteria from carcasses to watercourses, buildings and infrastructure further affected compliance.
Synthesis and applications
. GPS‐tagged scavengers allow the on‐ground monitoring of carcasses, the addressing of potential risks for wildlife, livestock and human health, the quantitative assessment of compliance with the law and would improve estimates of carcass availability, substantially contributing to more effective legislation enforcement. Our results show the huge potential of GPS‐tagged wildlife as sentinels for monitoring compliance to enhance the environmental rule of law.
Resumen
Evaluar el grado de cumplimiento de las normativas ambientales resulta clave a la hora de corregir posibles fallos de implementación que comprometan su efectividad. Además de mejorar nuestro conocimiento sobre la ecología de la fauna silvestre, las tecnologías de seguimiento remoto permiten utilizar a las especies silvestres como centinelas del cumplimiento de las leyes que afectan a la conservación de la naturaleza.
En este trabajo ilustramos ese potencial como especies centinelas mediante el seguimiento GPS de grandes carnívoros y aves carroñeras con rasgos funcionales complementarios. En concreto, se utilizaron 21 buitres leonados y 13 lobos para evaluar el nivel de cumplimiento de las normativas sanitarias europeas que permiten abandonar carroñas de ganado en el campo.
Con la ayuda de las especies centinelas, pudimos evaluar de forma sistemática 489 carroñas de ganado abandonadas en el campo, que revelaron una notable falta de correspondencia entre lo que recoge la normativa, y lo que se observa en la realidad. Menos del 45% de las carroñas se encontraron en áreas autorizadas, mientras que el nivel de cumplimiento simultáneo de todos los criterios requeridos por las normativas (ej. desde características como la edad, especie u origen de las carroñas hasta su ubicación lejos de puntos de agua, edificios o carreteras) osciló entre 0 y 4,2%, sin grandes diferencias entre regiones administrativas con distinta implementación.
El correcto cumplimento de las normativas se ve afectado por la insuficiente y excesivamente burocratizada designación de Zonas para la Alimentación de Especies Necrófagas, dónde se permite dejar carroñas de ganado. Las distancias de las carroñas a puntos de agua, edificios e infraestructuras limitaron aún más el cumplimiento.
Síntesis y aplicaciones
. El uso como centinelas de las especies carroñeras equipadas con dispositivos GPS permite el seguimiento de carroñas de ganado en el campo, la detección de riesgos para la fauna silvestre, el ganado y la salud humana, la valoración cuantitativa del grado de cumplimiento de la legislación, y mejoraría las estimas de carroña disponible en el campo, contribuyendo sustancialmente a una aplicación más efectiva de la normativa vigente. Nuestros resultados muestran el enorme potencial del seguimiento GPS de fauna silvestre para monitorizar el cumplimiento de la legislación ambiental y mejorar su aplicación.
Resumo
A avaliação do grau de cumprimento da legislação ambiental é fundamental para corrigir possíveis falhas de implementação que comprometam a sua eficácia. Para além de melhorar o nosso conhecimento sobre a ecologia da fauna silvestre, as tecnologias de seguimento remoto também nos permitem utilizar as espécies silvestres como sentinelas do cumprimento das leis relacionadas com a conservação da natureza e da biodiversidade.
Neste estudo, ilustramos esse potencial de espécies sentinelas utilizando o seguimento por GPS de aves necrófagas e grandes carnívoros com características funcionais complementares. Concretamente, utilizámos 21 grifos e 13 lobos para avaliar o grau de cumprimento dos regulamentos sanitários da União Europeia que permitem disponibilizar cadáveres de espécies pecuárias no campo.
Através das espécies sentinelas usadas, fomos capazes de avaliar, de forma sistemática, 489 cadáveres de espécies pecuárias abandonadas no campo, as quais revelaram um desfasamento considerável entre aquilo que está previsto nos regulamentos e o que se observa na realidade. Menos de 45% dos cadáveres foram encontrados em áreas autorizadas, enquanto o grau de cumprimento simultâneo de todos os critérios exigidos pelos regulamentos (e.g. desde características do cadáver como a espécie, a idade ou o sistema de produção, até à sua localização relativamente a pontos de água, edifícios ou estradas) variou entre 0 e 4,2%, sem grandes diferenças entre regiões administrativas com implementação distinta.
As principais falhas no cumprimento dos regulamentos estiveram relacionadas com a designação insuficiente e excessivamente burocratizada das Zonas para Alimentação de Espécies Necrófagas, onde é autorizada a disponibilização de cadáveres de espécies pecuárias. A distância dos cadáveres em relação a pontos de água, edifícios e outras infraestruturas afetou ainda mais o grau de cumprimento.
Síntese e aplicações
. O uso, como sentinelas, de espécies necrófagas equipadas com dispositivos GPS permite a monitorização de cadáveres de animais no terreno, a deteção de ameaças para a fauna silvestre, animais domésticos e saúde humana, a avaliação quantitativa do grau de cumprimento da legislação e poderia, ainda, melhorar as estimativas acerca da disponibilidade de cadáveres no campo, contribuindo substancialmente para uma aplicação mais eficaz da legislação vigente. Os nossos resultados demonstram o enorme potencial das espécies de fauna silvestre equipadas com dispositivos GPS para monitorizar o cumprimento da legislação ambiental e melhorar a sua aplicação.
Power ultrasound is being used as a novel technique for process intensification. In this study, the feasibility of using power ultrasound to improve the phenolic extraction from olive leaves was ...approached taking both compositional and kinetic issues into account and also determining the influence of the main process parameters (the electric power supplied, emitter surface and temperature). For this purpose, the extraction kinetics were monitored by measuring the total phenolic content and antioxidant capacity and mathematically described by Naik's model, and HPLC–DAD/MS–MS was used to identify and quantify the main polyphenols. The electric power supplied and the emitter surface greatly affected the effective ultrasonic power applied to the medium, and hence the extraction rate. However, the influence of temperature on ultrasound assisted extraction was not clear. Compared with conventional extraction, ultrasound assisted extraction reduced the extraction time from 24h to 15min and did not modify the extract composition.
Olive crop produces a significant quantity of byproducts (leaves, branches, solid and liquid wastes), coming from the tree pruning, fruit harvest and oil production, which are rich in phenolic compounds with bioactive properties. The extraction of the bioactive compounds could be an interesting option with which to increase the value of these byproducts, as it requires efficient extraction techniques in order to reduce processing costs and improve productivity. In this sense, ultrasound assisted extraction is considered a novel technique used as a means of intensifying a slow process, such as the leaching of polyphenols from vegetable matrices. In order to further address the industrial applications of ultrasound assisted extraction, a kinetic study should be carried out determining both the effective energy introduced into the medium, as well as its influence on the extract quality.
► The use of ultrasound in the phenolic extraction from olive leaves was addressed. ► The ultrasound effectiveness depended on the effective power applied to the medium. ► Ultrasound assisted extraction shortened the extraction time from 24h to 15min. ► The application of ultrasound did not modify the composition of olive leaf extracts.
In this work, the effect of the methods used for the freezing and drying of olive leaves on the polyphenol content and antioxidant capacity of the extracts was addressed. Thus, different methods were ...used to dry olive leaves (fresh or frozen by conventional (−28°C) or N2 freezing): hot air drying at 70 or 120°C and freeze drying. The extracts were characterized by determining the phenolic content, antioxidant capacity and HPLC-DAD/MS–MS profile.
Drying had a significant (p<0.05) influence on the antioxidant potential of olive leaf extracts. Both the drying and freezing methods significantly (p<0.05) influenced the concentration of the main polyphenols identified. Hot air drying provided a higher phenolic content, especially in oleuropein, than freeze drying. Thus, drying at 120°C was the best processing condition. Freezing reduced the antioxidant potential as compared to fresh leaves, probably due to oxidase activation, although its influence was not dependent on the freezing method.
► Both olive leaf drying and freezing affected the antioxidant potential. ► Hot air dried olive leaves showed higher phenolic content than freeze dried ones. ► The oleuropein content increased by prior hot air drying of olive leaves. ► Freezing reduced the phenolic content of olive leaves.
A novel screen-printing fabrication method was used to prepare organic electrochemical transistors (OECTs) based on poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) doped with polysterene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS). ...Initially, three types of these screen-printed OECTs with a different channel and gate areas ratio were compared in terms of output characteristics, transfer characteristics, and current modulation in a phosphate buffered saline (PBS) solution. Results confirm that transistors with a gate electrode larger than the channel exhibit higher modulation. OECTs with this geometry were therefore chosen to investigate their ion-sensitive properties in aqueous solutions of cations of different sizes (sodium and rhodamine B). The effect of the gate electrode was additionally studied by comparing these all-PEDOT:PSS transistors with OECTs with the same geometry but with a non-polarizable metal gate (Ag). The operation of the all-PEDOT:PSS OECTs yields a response that is not dependent on a Na⁺ or rhodamine concentration. The weak modulation of these transistors can be explained assuming that PEDOT:PSS behaves like a supercapacitor. In contrast, the operation of Ag-Gate OECTs yields a response that is dependent on ion concentration due to the redox reaction taking place at the gate electrode with Cl
counter-ions. This indicates that, for cation detection, the response is maximized in OECTs with non-polarizable gate electrodes.
In this work, we prove the usefulness of morphometric analyses, typically applied to basin-border faults, to define the tectonic geomorphology of a slow-moving, intrabasinal structure: the Galera ...Fault (Guadix-Baza Basin, southern Spain). The Galera Fault is a 30 km-long, oblique-slip fault with major left-lateral and minor vertical slip components. Through geological and structural analyses, we define for the first time the detailed surface geometry of the fault, which is characterized by features typical of left-lateral strike-slip faults. The morphometric analysis indicates that a combination of slow slip rates and the high erodibility of the juxtaposed basin infill deposits favours a rapid landscape response to fault activity that erases many landscape effects related to active tectonics. This masking is more effective on features generated by strike-slip displacement, leaving only subtle evidence, such as local stream deflections and upstream widening of catchments. In contrast, geomorphic effects related to vertical displacement are better preserved, including the control of the geometry of the main rivers and morphological differences in the drainage network between the two fault blocks. On the upthrown fault block, streams are generally shorter and steeper and have greater valley incision, leading to the development of a badland landscape. Moreover, the vertical deformation of a Middle Pleistocene glacis surface (ca. 90 m) demonstrates the important role of this slow-moving intrabasinal fault in the generation of relief in the Betic Cordillera during recent Quaternary time. Although the impact of this fault on relief building is very low in comparison with oblique-slip, basin-border faults in the mountain range, it has a key control on the Quaternary landscape evolution.
•Tectonic geomorphological study of an oblique-slip, slow intrabasinal fault (S Spain)•Uses fault analysis and geomorphic indices (PRR, surface marker offset, ksn, AF, Vf)•Erosion dominates landscape, masking typical fault-related geomorphic evidence.•Geomorphic indices are useful for revealing a fault-related geomorphic response.•Major intrabasinal faults have low impact on broader mountain belt relief development.
Evaluate the long-term evolution of continence and patient's quality of life after surgical treatment for obstetric fecal incontinence.
A prospective longitudinal study was conducted including ...consecutive patients who underwent sphincteroplasty for severe obstetric fecal incontinence. The first phase analyzed changes in continence and impact on quality of life. The second phase studied the long-term evolution reevaluating the same group of patients six years later. Degree of fecal incontinence was calculated using the Cleveland Clinic Score. Quality of life assessment was carried out with the Fecal Incontinence Quality of Life Scale.
35 patients with median age of 55 (range, 28-73) completed the study. Phase One Results: After a postoperative follow-up of 30 months (4-132), Cleveland Clinic Score had improved significantly from a preoperative of 15.7 ± 3.1 to 6.1 ± 5 (p <0.001). Phase Two Results: median follow-up in phase two was 110 months (76- 204). The Cleveland Clinic Score lowered to 8.4 ± 4.9 (p = 0.04). There were no significant differences between phases one and two in terms of quality of life: lifestyle (3.47 ± 0.75 vs. 3.16 ± 1.04), coping/behavior (3.13 ± 0.83 vs 2.80 ± 1.09), depression/self-perception (3.65 ± 0.80 vs 3.32 ± 0.98) and embarrassment (3.32 ± 0.9 vs 3.12 ± 1).
Sphincteroplasty offers good short-medium term outcomes in continence and quality of life for obstetric fecal incontinence treatment. Functional clinical results deteriorate over time but did not impact on patients' quality of life.
Influencers are the new brand narrative. This is why many companies and institutions are positioning their executives –using their full names– to build loyalty amongst their diverse client base. On ...the other hand, the reputation strategy known as “CEO Executive Visibility” aims to promote a brand by putting the spotlight on its top management and aligning their character traits with the values that the organisation wishes to transmit, thus capturing new audiences, improving follower loyalty and generating more engagement. Along these lines, and using content analysis and quantitative research methods, and combining economic and communication factors as theoretical underpinnings, this investigation examines how the chairpersons of the companies listed in the Ibex 35 (the Spanish benchmark index) use the main social networks (Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube and personal blogs). The results obtained show how executive visibility strategies are applied in Spain and who the main influencers in this financial environment are. This research evidences that the chairpersons of Ibex 35 companies do not post consistently on social media and that there is a link between the public image of a company’s top management and the perception of a company and its commitment to its audience.
•A kinetic study of oleuropein extraction from olive leaves by ultrasound is suggested.•The temperature affects the extraction kinetic and the extracts composition.•Ultrasound had significant effects ...on the extraction kinetics of polyphenols.•Ultrasound power reduces the initial extraction rate of bioactive compounds.
In this study, the effect of temperature and ultrasonic application on extraction kinetics of polyphenols from dried olive leaf was investigated. Conventional (CVE) and ultrasonic-assisted extraction (UAE) were performed at 10, 20, 30, 50 and 70°C using water as solvent. Extracts were characterized by measuring the total phenolic content, the antioxidant capacity and the oleuropein content (HPLC–DAD/MS–MS). Moreover, Naik’s model was used to mathematically describe the extraction kinetics. The experimental results showed that phenolic extraction was faster in UAE (ultrasonic-assisted extraction) than in CVE (conventional extraction), being extraction kinetics satisfactorily described using Naik model (include VAR>98%). Besides, the total phenolic content, the antioxidant capacity and the oleuropein content were significantly (p<0.05) improved by increasing the temperature in both CVE and UAE. Oleuropein content reached 6.57±0.18 being extracted approximately 88% in the first minute for UAE experiments.
The drying curves and the degradation kinetics of three different quality attributes (total carotenoids (TC) and total polyphenols (TP) contents and antioxidant activity (AA)) of carrots during ...drying at different temperatures (from 40 to 90°C) have been experimentally evaluated and modeled. A diffusional model taking into account the solid shrinkage and both the external and internal water transfer resistances was used to accurately represent the water transfer in carrot during drying (average mean relative error (MRE) of 3.3 ± 0.6%). The effective moisture diffusivity was found to follow the Arrhenius relationship (Eₐ = 76.0 kJ/mol) and the mass transfer coefficient a linear dependence with air temperature. The Weibull model was used to satisfactorily simulate the degradation kinetics of the three quality attributes considered (average MRE of 2.8 ± 1.2% for TC content, 5.7 ± 1.0% for TP content, and 3.6 ± 1.8% for AA); these were the Eₐ of 52.7 kJ/mol for TC; 22.1 kJ/mol for TP; and 27.5 kJ/mol for AA kinetics. By using the proposed models, the estimated optimum drying temperature to best retain the total carotenoids content ranged between ca. 42–46°C; meanwhile, in order to maintain the TP content and the antioxidant activity at the highest levels, the drying needed to be carried out at temperatures of ca. 60–75°C. These results indicate that the TC retention is more influenced by the drying temperature, while the TP and AA retentions are more sensitive to drying time exposure. However, it was possible to establish a global optimum air temperature which ranged between 52.6 and 57.7°C, decreasing the TC, TP, and AA retentions by less than 2.2% from their respective optimal values.
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